Defining Moments: Capturing our changing world

Updated 1258 GMT (2058 HKT) October 31, 2013

Defining Moments: Our changing world23 photos

All Souls, graves and basketball – OCTOBER 31 - MANILA, PHILIPPINES: Youngsters play basketball at a cemetery, marking one of the most important holidays for the largest Catholic nation in Asia, All Saints' Day. Filipinos traditionally visit cemeteries to hold vigils and large family reunions, but the atmosphere is far from sad, as the usually silent graveyards turn into parties with food and music.

Flaring up in Egypt – OCTOBER 29 - CAIRO, EGYPT: Student supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsy and the Muslim Brotherhood light up a flare as they demonstrate outside al-Azhar university in Cairo on October 28. Since Morsy's ouster and detention in July, his supporters have continued to take to the streets.

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Defining Moments: Our changing world23 photos

Taken by storm – OCTOBER 28 - BOULOGNE, FRANCE: Large waves break against the harbor wall at the entrance of the port of Boulogne, northern France, on October 28, 2013. A fierce storm battered Europe and the south of England, leaving at least two people dead. Weather forecasters had said before the storm arrived that it could be the region's worst in a decade.

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Defining Moments: Our changing world23 photos

Dengue – OCTOBER 25 - RAWALPINDI, PAKISTAN: 13-year-old Awais Shaukat lies in bed, sick with dengue fever. Dengue, a flu-like illness, is spread by the Aedes mosquito and unlike malaria, there are no drugs to prevent it. It spikes during the annual monsoons, when the insects breed in puddles of stagnant water. So far, attempts to develop a vaccine have been unsuccessful.

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Defining Moments: Our changing world23 photos

On their own – OCTOBER 24 - KABUL, AFGHANISTAN: Recruits perform drills at the Afghanistan National Army Officers' Academy. Afghans now lead security operations at home, with the remaining international forces responding only when asked. NATO troops are scheduled to leave in 2014.

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Defining Moments: Our changing world23 photos

Royal wedding smile – OCTOBER 23 - YOGYAKARTA, INDONESIA: Rizki a five-year-old volunteer at Kraton, the Yogyakarta Sultanate's royal palace, attends the wedding of one of the five daughters of Sultan Hamengkubuwono X. The wedding celebrations will take three days, include a parade of 12 royal horse-drawn carriages, and culminate with the wedding vows.

Inferno in Australia – OCTOBER 18 - LITHGOW, AUSTRALIA: Sean Butler joins fellow residents to fight a fire in the historic township of Newnes Junction. A pink haze hung over the region as bush fires continued to burn uncontrolled across New South Wales. Authorities say hundreds of homes have been lost, with the worst hit areas in the World Heritage area of the Blue Mountains.

Rio on fire – OCTOBER 16 - RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL: A Black Bloc anarchist jumps a burning barricade, after a peaceful march of striking teachers ended in clashes between anarchist protesters and the police. People took to streets on Brazilian Teachers Day, demanding better pay and affordable housing for educators.

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Defining Moments: Our changing world23 photos

Hajj to Mecca – OCTOBER 15 - MECCA, SAUDI ARABIA: Pilgrims circle the Kaaba as they pray inside the Grand Mosque during the Hajj. Every Muslim is expected to take this journey to the holy city of Mecca during their lifetime. This year, the Saudi government asked people with weakened immunity to avoid the journey, due to an outbreak of MERS virus in the birthplace of Islam.

'Ten-Ten' – OCTOBER 10, TAIPEI, TAIWAN: Students celebrate Taiwanese National Day in Taipei. The "Ten-Ten" day marks the anniversary of the 1911 uprising in China that led to the collapse of the nation's longstanding imperial system and the establishment of Taiwan. Beijing still claims Taiwan as part of its sovereign territory.

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Defining Moments: Our changing world23 photos

Malala's fight, one year on – OCTOBER 9 - RAWALPINDI, PAKISTAN: Boys look out of the window of their classroom at their schoolmates chanting prayers to commemorate the anniversary of Malala's shooting by Taliban. One year after a bullet tried to silence Malala Yousufzai's demand for education, she has published a book and is a contender for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Touch down in pink – OCTOBER 7 - NEW JERSEY, U.S.: Wearing pink gloves and shoes to show support for breast cancer awareness campaign, David Wilson of the New York Giants celebrates a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles. NFL's "A Crucial Catch" initiative is aimed at highlighting the importance of annual screenings, especially for women over 40.

Bath time in Quezon – OCTOBER 3 - QUEZON, PHILIPPINES: Children take advantage of a burst water pipe, taking a dip on a street in suburban Quezon. The Philippines' economy continues to grow on the back of its remittances program, tourism and investment in construction and technology, the country's finance minister, Cesar Purisima, told CNN.

Closed for business – OCTOBER 1 - NEW YORK, U.S.: People view the Statue of Liberty from the Staten Island Ferry. After weeks of bickering between the House and the Senate, the U.S. government has officially shut down for the first time in 17 years. Many government services are now closed, including all National Parks, such as the Statue of Liberty.